Shock absorber



Oct. 16,1928.-

- 1,687,527 C. W. THOMPSON suocx ABSORBER Filed July 2 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C. W. THOMPSON SHQGK ABSORBER Filed July 25, 1924 2 Sneets-Sheet 2 Patented Got. 6, 192 8.

onr'Ts teale527 stir GFFECE.

GLARANOE w. .rnoivrrsoiv, or WILMINGTON, nnnawaan, .assrsnoa To THOMPSON SPRING oonronarron, or wILMIno-ron, DELAWARE, A oonroaarron or nnnm WARE.

' Application filed July 25,

of the parts is avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball-and-socket connection that includes a ball that is an integral part of the casing" of the restraining device. in order to reducethe length of space occupied. by such a device between parts of a vehicle, as between the'body and axle for example. v

It also is anobiect of the invention to provide couplinrrs of novel formation for connection of ashock-absorber or the like with bodv and axle parts of a vehicle.

-When considered in connection with the description herein, the characteristics of the invention are apparent from the accompanying drawingrdfforming part hereof. wherein adaptations of the invention to a motor-vehicle are disclosed, for purposes of illustration.

Although the disclosures herein exemplify what now are considered to be preferable embodiments of the invention. it is to be understood that it is not the intention to be limited necessarily thereto in interpretation of the claims. as modifications and adaptations within the limits of the claims can be made without departing from the nature of the invention. p

Like reference-characters refer to corre spondinsr parts in the views of the drawings. of which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a rear installation. certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof;

. Fin". 3 is a side elevation'of a front installa tion. certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 4- is a section on the line 4 -4-., Fin. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55, Fig. 8;

Fig. 6 is an exterior view ofthe casing; of a shock-absorber.

In the drawings. which for purposes of exemplification disclose installations in a mo tor-vehicle in which there are transversehJ- disposed springs, A designates a rear spring; secured by clips or fasteningmembers B to the body, G the ditferential-housingz of the rear axle structure having, its parts held to- SHOCK eraser-inns.

1924-. Serial No 728,197.

gether by: bolts D, E a transverse yoke or other body member at the front. F a front spring held to the yoke by clip or the like and H the front axle in the form of an I beaml As one of the elements of the rear installation of a shock-absorber or the lilre. a me1nber 1 1, arcuate transversely toconform anprox mately to the contour of the sprin it is secured to the under side thereof in any suitable manner, as by the clins or fastening members 13. L i O wardly extending arm 12. The arm has on its free end a closing member 13 removably secured thereto by bolts 14. A substantially spherical socket is located in the arm and that member. and aball 15 of a piston-rod 16 is disposed in the socket. A V

The piston-rod extends into a casing 1.7 ofa shoclr absorber or the like, in the chamber of which it is associated with any suitable means for resisting its movement. The exterior of the casing at its lower end is formed inte grally of its wall with ball 18 into which Thus the ball is cothe chamber extends. extensive with the lower end portion of the casing and of the chamber therein.

The ball 18 is disposed in a substantially spherical socket of afittingr 19. having a closinn; member 20 removably held thereon by bolts 21 and operating to retain the ball in the socket. The fitting 19 in its forward portion 22 is of arcuate shape and conforms to the contour of and abuts against the periphery of the housing C. and it is secured thereto in any suitable manner. as by bolts D.

In view of the fact that the ball 18 is coextensive with the lower end portion of the casing 17 and the chamber extends thereinto, the length of the shoclnabsorber from the lower end of the casing; to the upper end. of the piston-rod is less than when the lower end of the device is connected below the end of the casing, as by a ball on that end beyond the end of the chamber. This enables the device to be installed in association with partsrelatively close togetheiy and that is a condition that is met particularly in the front end of a vehicle having a transversely-disposcd spring.

' In such a case, the spring usually is housed at its crown in a channel transverse member E and held therein by clips G. These clips are employed to hold amember 23 against the bottom of the channel member. The mem- This member includes a rear-' similar to the rear installation.

of two parts 26 and 27 removably held to-- gether by bolts 28. A clip part or jaw 29 lubricant-cups 85.

is formed integrally with the socket part 27, andbelow it the latter part has a seat 30 open to its interior arranged to accommodate the head 31 of a bolt and 'an opening to permit a bolt-shank 32 to be disposed therethrough. That shank extends through a relatively movable clip part or jaw 33, which is drawn toward the opposite 29 by a nut 84 on'thebolt. The jaws are arranged to clamp over the lower flange of the I-shaped aXle II and against opposite sides thereof and thus hold the socket-casing on the axle.

The ball-and-socket installation of a shock absorber or similar device in the manner described permits free relative swaying movement of the body and axles without inter ference with the functioning of the device, and the making of the casing-ball coextensive with the lower portion of the casing permits installation of the device between parts close together. I

The sockets preferably are equipped with In order to permit the aliord passageways or ducts 36.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letterslatent, isv 1. A movement-restrainmg device ior-1notor-vehicles comprising a casing'having an end portion of substantially spherical contour arranged to be disposed in a socket of a fitting, said casing containing a chamber of substantially uniform transverse. dimension extending throughout the, major, portion of its-length and into said substantially spherical end portion, and a memberreciprocable in said chamber arrangedto be connected with another fitting.

2. In a motor-vehicle, the combination,

with the body and axle structure of the vehiole, of fittings, having sockets, secured to said body and axle structure, a movementre straining device comprising a casing having an end portionoi substantially spherical contourdisposed in the socket of one or said fittings, said casing containing a chamber of substantially, uniform transverse dimension extending throughout the maj or portion of its [length and into said substantially spherical end portion, and a member, extending into and reciprocable in said chamber, having a ball on its outer portion disposed .in thelsocket of the other of said fittings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my 'signature this 3d day ofJuly, 1924. g GLARANCE W. THOMPSON. 

